14 DAY TRIAL // Recently, we’ve told you that Microsoft is reportedly working on two inexpensive Windows 10 Mobile phones which will be marketed for around $80 / €73. For these models, the company is expected to partner up with Qualcomm which will be supplying the Snapdragon 210 chipset to power the devices.
The chipset has four Cortex-A7 cores clocked at 1.1GHz plus Adreno 304 GPU, comes embedded with Bluetooth 4.1 and 802.11n Wi-Fi and can support resolutions of up to 720p, 8MP cameras with 1080p video capture and playback, and H.265 hardware encoding.
We’re not told which partners are going to help Microsoft build these devices, but the thing is Redmond is actively searching for them. As a report coming out of Digi Times reveals, ODMs in China and Taiwan are expected to contact the supply chain in order to order the needed parts to build entry-level and mid-range models of Windows 10 Mobile phones.
Microsoft is betting big on Windows 10 Mobile
Microsoft is also expected to launch a few flagship models, including the heavily rumored Lumia 950 and Lumia 950 XL, but the company has recognized that the entry-level market is a key point to boosting its sales and expanding Windows Phone’s marketshare.
With this in mind, Microsoft’s upcoming low-end models will be launched in markets such as China, India, Asia and Latin America. But the Redmond tech giant won’t be building these models itself, so that’s why it is looking for partners. In return for their services, Microsoft will be helping with R&D and marketing.
According to the Asian report, Qualcomm will not be the only chipmaker supplying silicon pieces to Microsoft for its low-end affairs. Apparently, MediaTek and Spreadtrum Communications will also be approached by the tech giant and asked to build chips and IC components, respectively, for the budget offerings.
It’s highly possible that Microsoft would be looking at Chinese white box vendors for help in building these handsets. On the other hand, high-end models like Lumia 950 and 950 XL are an entirely different story, as Microsoft plans to build both of them by itself.